Ryan opened the Republican meeting by describing the realities of tackling a budget, stressing there was an opportunity to act on a conservative agenda if the House can move past the current budget stalemate. | AP Photo

Ryan presents stark choices to conservatives on spending

The speaker tells rank-and-file members that failing to pass a budget could lead to a much worse outcome.

House Republicans can do three things with the 2017 budget: pass it, punt on it or just give up.

That’s the message Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) delivered to his conference Friday morning during a prolonged meeting in the Capitol that was described by attendances as an airing of grievances about the funding blueprint before the House.

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The top-line numbers for the budget, which were agreed to last year, have met a familiar roadblock with conservative lawmakers who question why spending levels were increased for 2017 as part of an omnibus debate with Democrats.

Ryan opened the Republican meeting by describing the realities of tackling a budget, stressing there was an opportunity to act on a conservative agenda if the House can move past the current budget stalemate.

But lawmakers need to act, Ryan said. He asked whether Republicans were willing to give up on the appropriations process and a potential chance at entitlement reform over a relatively small funding increase.

The speaker told lawmakers that not passing a budget and scrapping the appropriations process would likely lead to a catch-all omnibus spending bill in the fall — a highly unpopular scenario for House Republicans.

The House was set to leave for a weeklong recess Friday. Aides for Ryan said the Wisconsin Republican would continue speaking with his colleagues over the break, with the goal of restarting debate on the budget when members return to Washington.

California Republican Rep. Devin Nunes, a close ally of GOP leaders, said passing a budget at current levels is the only way to get the Senate on board, describing other options as “phony.”

“If you want to do phony work and you want to go out to the floor and talk about a bunch of phony stuff that sounds nice then put it up on YouTube and go back to your district and say, ‘We’re really the only ones fighting,’" members can do that, he said. But “If you actually want to do real work," then Republicans should buckle down and figure out a budget.

Ryan told lawmakers they could vote on a budget with spending cuts that align with the sequester levels from last year. But the Senate would surely block that legislation, causing a repeat of what happened in 2015, when Republicans were forced to rely on Democrats to pass the bill. The same scenario would play out, Ryan said, if the House passes a bill with beefed up defense spending as some hawks in the party are seeking.

The best option, Ryan told lawmakers, is to adhere to the top-line levels set for 2017 but include provisions that outline a Republican agenda. But he stressed that it would be up to the lawmakers to decide as he would not jam legislation down their throats.

But there are fierce disagreements among Republicans about how to proceed.

House Budget Chairman Tom Price said he still wants to move a budget resolution out of the committee by the end of the month, teeing up a March vote on the House floor.

“That’s been the goal and that’s what this is all about. Getting the conversation with the conference to make sure we’re able to make that happen,” the Georgia Republican said. “We’ll get a budget. … I have faith in my colleagues. Budgets are always a big challenge, and this is no different. Maybe a little more difficult this year, but they’re always a challenge.”

But House conservatives have not been convinced — despite overtures from leadership and Ryan himself — that they should support higher spending levels.

“We should do a budget. … We’re making this way too complicated. Do a budget that reflects conservative principles,’ said House Freedom Caucus Chairman Jim Jordan. “We are still talking with Freedom Caucus members and the broad conference, so we’re still discussing all kinds of things.”

Rep. Matt Salmon, a Freedom Caucus member from Arizona, said GOP leaders should consider other options besides passing the current spending levels or giving in to threats from Senate Democrats to derail the budget process.

“It’s not exhaustive,” he said of the options presented. “But I’m not feeling any pressure at all. I think that is [Ryan’s] expectation of us. Chew on it.”